The invention relates to a holding device for the stack of paper, cardboard or similar sheet-form punching material on a punch press, with a centering pin yielding elastically at least in areas under the thrust of the punching material in the punching process for engagement in centering holes of the punching material sheets. Such holding devices serve the purpose of pushing the sheet stack shifted in the punching process by the penetration of punch knife back into its starting position.
In a known holding device according to W. German utility model DE-GBMS No. 73 30 085 the centering pin consists of a spiral tension spring which is fastened with an end piece to a base plate and carries on its upper end a rounded cusp. The use of the spiral spring has proved only limitedly successful, because the sheets may get stuck in the surface grooved through the spring turns of the centering pin. For the aligning of the sheet stack there are necessary, further, at least two stop bars which are arranged with respective centering pin on a common base plate. The base plate hampers the stack in its movability in the punching.